


They're Playing My Song

by DelDarling (TauntingTyrant)



Category: Rush Hour (1998)
Genre: Clubbing, Dancing, Denial of Feelings, First Kiss, Humor, M/M, Post-Rush Hour 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 03:10:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11500542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TauntingTyrant/pseuds/DelDarling
Summary: Lee is a man of many talents, Carter learns this.





	They're Playing My Song

“ _Aruba, Jamaica, ooooh I wanna take ya! Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama--"_  The two detectives sang along as they drove. Carter began his signature head sway, Lee joining him in an enthusiastic mimic of the little dance, both hands still on the wheel to navigate the vehicle down New York’s busy streets.  
  
“Damn Lee, what I tell you? The Beach boys are the shit!” Carter calls out above the music, still in his own groove as he moved along in the passenger's seat. The response Lee gave was an incredulous look, one hand raised as if to gesture at the detective accusingly.  
  
“You tell me? I tell you!” The music continues to play above their raised voices, continuing its upbeat melody in spite of the conversation breaking their little singalong. James stopped dancing for only a moment, as if affronted by the (true) claim made against his person.  
  
“Ah nah, you can’t stake a claim on this! Don’t you remember-- We was in my car and I had ‘em on the radio. Man Lee, you know this!” His denial ran deep playful as he formulated another one of his over the top stories, changing the perspective to fit the narrative. It was always in good fun that Carter joked around and shifted the credit to himself, never seriously of course. But the confusion upon his partner’s face was always a sight to behold. James would never admit it, but it was a little cute, just a little. Anything more than that required a different discussion, one the hotheaded cop wouldn’t have with himself any time soon if it meant saving his pride.  
  
“Oh hell _no_!” The slang rolled off his tongue almost seamlessly. The Hong Kong detective had been picking up a bit more on the younger man’s speech patterns, utilizing them in a way to get his point across when they got into these little debates. His expression was always a bit serious when he said it like that, making it a little harder for the other man to take it as seriously as it was intended. It was yet another one of Lee’s quirks, and he couldn’t help but find it endearing when he wasn’t neck to neck with his partner in another one of their quarrels. Carter reached for the volume dial, turning it down a bit as they pulled over.  
  
  
Oh, it was on.  
  
  
“Hell no? What’chu mean hell no? You can’t even do it right, that’s how I know you lyin’. See it’s all in ya stance in everything. Watch and learn Lee, watch and learn.” The darker male then tilted his head, features twisted into an exaggerated mask of disbelief. His eyes were comically wide, lips curled into a playful scowl as his eyebrows furrowed.  
  
“Oh **HELL** to the no!”  He then relaxed back into his seat, looking almost expectant as his partner processed the little demonstration. Lee gave him one of those looks that a mix of confusion and amusement, his face schooled into a neutral expression while his body language gave him away. If the quirk of his lips was anything to go by, the man didn’t find it as annoying as he would let on in his inevitable witty comeback. Carter liked that look.  
  
“I still don’t think your memory is right.” Pulling the keys out of the ignition, Lee stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk as he took in the sights of their suggested venue (courtesy of Carter). In the distance, the detective could hear the sound of music, muffled by the entrance to the building. He raised an eyebrow, turning to the other Detective with a look that meant realization and displeasure at being duped. Lee threw his hands in the air, letting out a noise that resembled frustration.  
  
“You said we were going to eat! Not get ‘mushu’!” Carter made his way over to the shorter man and slinging an arm around his shoulders as he lead him toward the door.  
  
“We gonna eat, my cousin up in Brooklyn told me they got the best hot wings. Ain’t gonna be no triads comin’ between LA’s finest and dinner.” Reassuring in his own way, he lead the man into the club with a dopey grin, flagging down a table for them to sit at and order some food. Somehow, Lee always ended up conceding  to the Detective’s outlandishness. He’d save the pent up energy for the confrontations that followed them from one corner of the world to another.  
  
“Why you not tell me we were going to a club?”  
  
“You would’ve said no! Ever since we saw the knicks last week it’s been nothin’ but sight-seeing and whatever else y’all do for fun up in Hong-Kong. This is the city that never sleeps, Lee!”  
  
“How would you know what I’m going to say, Carter? You could have asked, I’d be dressed better than this!” Gesturing to the classy ensemble of a suit and tie combo he sported, the older man frowned. What caught his partner off guard was the suggestion that the uptight man would take on the suggestion of going out dancing even indulging in wearing whatever club wear he felt would suit him best.  
  
Now Carter was interested, leaning forward almost challengingly. He struggled to fight off the images of his friend and partner in tight pants and sleeveless shirts, moving along with the rest of the people in the room to the steady rhythm of the bass.  
  
“What’chu know about this?” James gestures to the lively room, the dance floor crowded with partygoers as far as the eye could see. Pairs swayed to the music, pressed against one another in a display that would be labeled indecent if seen anywhere else. He looked back to his partner, only to be met with a smile, the man bent over the table a bit to meet him halfway.  
  
“Plenty. Dancing is not different from fighting. I could show you, right now.”  
  
“Right now?” Carter says with an edge he didn’t have before, now genuinely intrigued.  
  
“Right now.” His partner confirms, slipping from his chair. Lee moves to loosen his tie, shrugging off the suit jacket. The material is draped over the back of his chair, necktie soon joining it as he unbuttoned his collar. Before making his way to the dance floor; He turned to the other man, lips curled into a smirk.  
  
“Watch and learn, Carter.” In long, powerful strides Lee made his way to the dancefloor. His arms were clasped behind his back, setting the image of poise as his more confident nature became evident. His head was lifted, staring ahead like he was on a mission.  
  
As soon as the music kicked in, he moved into action. His body moved in time with the steady beat of the music, limbs outstretched in an almost careless, fluid display. Methodical thought led to move after move, catching the interest of other dancers. The newfound attention made almost no difference to him, the encouragement found in his partner witnessing the performance from across the room. It was unlike him, to let go of his strict manner for even a second. But to do this? He would; Anything to catch the eye of the man who always had something to say, who could do nothing but stare without a word as he moved in his own rhythm. No matter how breathless Lee looked, he was kept up well until the end of the song, eyes locked with the man from across the room. He’d even indulged a few in a dance, his body pressed flush against them in a heated display of passion.  

 _  
‘I wanna rock your body_  
_  
Please stay  
_  
_Dance with me.’_    

The words were in and out of James’ focus, barely registering while he watched the display with parted lips. This wasn’t like the silly dances the two of them did together, this was a whole ‘nother game. The room became smaller, tighter, hotter. The shit was near unbearable, getting worse as he watched his partner’s dance, leaving him with the need to straighten up under that dark gaze, arched in his seat. This time, he didn’t pay attention to the women who came to him looking for a good time. He didn’t pay attention to anything else but Lee.    
  
_  
‘You don't have to admit you, wanna play_  
_  
Dance with me_  
_  
Just let me rock you  
__  
Till the break of day  
_  
_Dance with me.’_

He couldn’t fucking bear it. White hot rage bubbled beneath the surface, frantically spilling over with every moment Carter watched Lee move from partner to partner, giving them a hands-on demonstration of his dancing abilities. He didn’t know why he felt this way, he didn’t know why he was goddamn jealous when there was nothing to be jealous about. It sure wasn’t over his partner’s ability to outshine him yet again, nor the easy air of attraction he gave off to others.

No, it was something else.  

Carter stood up fast, almost knocking his chair over as he made his way to the dance floor. The glint in Lee’s eye told him that he knew exactly what he was doing, not as innocent as he made himself out to be. His hands flew up to the man’s upper arms, fingers digging in as he wordlessly dragged the other Detective from the floor without concern for who saw. And Lee let him. He let his partner manhandle him into the nearest bathroom, locking the door behind them.  

“I can’t stand your ass, you know that? You’re always so extra, showing me something new when I think this is where it stops. This is the day where Lee acts like a normal goddamn person and doesn’t dazzle somebody with his arsenal of talents that ain’t nobody know about. But you just keep going and-- Fuck. I can’t do this shit with you, you’re testing my patience Lee.”  

Lee simply tilted his head, lending the listening ear this time around once again. His expression had come down from the carelessness of his high from early, now simply impassive.   It was hard to know how he was feeling, and it only made James more frustrated.  

“How am I testing you?” Inquisitive, but restrained. Curious but unyielding to the tension. They were chest to chest, Lee against the wall as his partner’s hands on each side of him.  

“I-- Damnit, I don’t know! You just-- You can dance and-- Do all this shit! It pisses me off, and you just do it with no trouble. You’ve got it all and the worst part is I’m not even jealous that you do… I can’t be, man. I just can’t and I don’t know why.” He stared into the shorter man’s eyes with an intensity he rarely showed in the time they’d known each other. It was serious for James right now, that much was clear.

He couldn’t help but stare at his friend and partner, mind focusing on the details of his face. Damn, Lee was beautiful. Unconsciously, he leaned down, their faces even closer than before. He could feel the short, strained breaths of his friend. The light tint on his face and the faint shudder of the body beneath him made James want to…  

“Kiss me.” He hears Lee murmur, a low whisper.  

But, they were partners. Fuck, they were both guys. And as far as James Carter knew, he didn’t have an interest in any of that. And yet here he was, having a crisis over a man he met not too long ago in the midst of a crisis.  

“... Fuck it.” He pressed their lips together, hands moving to cup Lee’s cheeks to deepen the kiss. The older man responded by pressing their bodies against one another, heat radiating from the man after his recent performance. Ragged breaths escape the two men, their bodies moving in sync as they refuse to part from one another under dim lights.  

It was Carter who eventually pulled back from the kiss to say something.  

“Why don’t we have our own little **private** dance, just you and me?”  

“Just let me ‘rock with you’, and I’ll show you what else I can do.”      

 _  
‘Dance with me  
_   _  
Just let me rock you  
_   _  
Till the break of day  
_    
_Dance with me’_  


**Author's Note:**

> I decided to give writing CartLee a try! This is a small little fandom and everyone who writes in it is doing the beautiful work we really need. I apologize if some of Lee's mannerisms come off as weird or stereotypical. I was trying to write his speech pattern similarly to how he talks on screen without making it too extreme. 
> 
> Carter is just Carter so I can't apologize for that. But I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
